Elite Avengers
by TheGirlWithTheName
Summary: Braelyn Montgomery and her best friend, Stryker Simons must fight to survive in a future run by the government. They are part of a special group of mutants, called the Elites. They will fight to get their world back. No matter the cost.
1. Prologue

Prologue

My name is Braelyn Montgomery. I'm seventeen years old. I lived in a quiet town off the coast in Maine. But as of yesterday, it does not exist. Nor do I. As far as the government is concerned, Braelyn Montgomery died in a fire with the rest of her family on October 2, 2042. I am part of an elite group of kids, teens, and adults, fighting to destroy The Avengers, an evil group of men who are planning to take over the world, one city at a time. Their race: Unknown. Their weakness: Unknown. Their power: Unstoppable.

We are The Elites. And we will get our world back. No matter the cost


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I looked over the ashes of my once peaceful city. The Avengers had come, and destroyed it all. I kicked a rock, and stepped over the rubble that was my home. My dishes lay shattered beneath the stones of my once steady walls, the furniture smashed to bits. Tears fell, despite my previous effort to suppress them. I bent down and lifted Pansy from the ashes. The small velveteen rabbit seemed to look at me with sad eyes. I missed my family. I missed being normal.

"Brae..." I heard quietly behind me.

I turned around to face the voice and saw the familiar tender face of Stryker Simons, the only person I ever wanted to see when I wanted nothing more than to be alone. I ran to him and he wrapped me in his warm embrace. Stryker had only seen me cry once before, at the time of my parent's death. No one else had seen me cry. Because that's just not what I did... But now, standing in the ruins of my home, the piles of ash and rock that was my childhood, I couldn't help it. The tears came, unwanted and foreign to my body. Stryker whispered softly in my ear, trying to calm me down. And it helped. But I couldn't stop crying. I took a deep shuddering breath and wiped my eyes angrily. "This is it. I will find them, and I will tear. Them. Apart." I growled, eyes flashing dangerously. Stryker bit his lip. "Brae...you can't get revenge on them. Don you see? Hats exactly what they want..." he said quietly. I knew he was right; I just didn't want him to be.

"Go away, Stryker." I hissed, hopping over the two foot wall of brick that was my bedroom wall. "Rae I'm just trying to help!" he called. "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" I shouted, walking down the deserted street at an angry pace. Stryker morphed in front of me. "Stop!" he shouted. I flinched. We all had powers. Stryker could teleport, or Morph, himself wherever he wanted. He could pass through walls as well. Maisa was a girl in our sector. She could light herself on fire, and walk right out of the ashes that were her body. Fitting name right? Carson could talk to animals. Aera could bend water and ice. I could shape shift and read minds. We were all freaks. But we were a family. And we stuck together. Stryker grabbed my shoulders, shaking me out of my trance. "Oi! Cut it out!" I snapped, jerking out of his grip. "Look to your left." he hissed. I turned my head slowly and saw the small red bird, watching us with its mechanical eye. "Avengers..." I gasped. Stryker grabbed me and dove out of the way, just as a shot came whizzing past my head. I let out a quiet yelp and grabbed his hand. "Run!" I shouted. We took off together, running for our ship that was docked in the field. Stryker ran beside me, and pulled me into the ship. I could hear the bullets strike the side of it, and I flinched slightly. "Go, Go, Go!" I cried, and the ship lifted off. Stryker and I sank back against the wall, breathing heavily. "Only you could find a way to be tracked by Avengers in a city that doesn't exist!" Stryker joked. I laughed breathlessly. "Quiet you..." I said, changing into the form of a small brown dog and curling up by his side. He ran his hands through my fur and I smiled inwardly. "Cute dog." Maisa laughed. I barked softly. The crew laughed and I stretched, putting my head on my paws. "What is she this time?" Carson asked curiously.

I snorted, projecting my thoughts so they all could hear. "I'm a Bernese mountain dog. Sheesh. For someone who can talk to animals..." I joked. They all laughed, and I closed my eyes, the quiet hum of their voices and the slow purr of the engine fading away as I drifted into a light sleep.

I awoke to someone carrying me off the plane. I grumbled angrily, batting at the arms with my paws before falling asleep. I decided change back in the strong arms holding me up, and heard a small chuckle of surprise. "Putmedown..." I grumbled, and was immediately obeyed, dumped on the front step. "Get up." hissed Carson. I sat up groggily and frowned up at him. "Why'd you drop me!" I whined. "Oh good god girl...just go to bed." he said, walking up the stairs and into his own room. I stood up and stretched, changing into a small black kitten and padding up the stairs. I hopped up on my bed and curled up underneath my pillow, trying to fall asleep again. Not long after I got upstairs, Stryker walked in, seeing my black tail flicking angrily beneath the pillow. I could hear his footsteps as he walked over and sat on the bed, lifting the pillow off of me. I hissed slightly, fur standing on end. Stryker rolled his eyes. "Brae." he said quietly. "Please change back..." I shook my head, blinking my gold eyes at him. He sighed. "Why do you always change before you sleep?" he asked, trying to get me talking. My small kitten self shrugged slightly, curling up on his hand. "Animals don't have many dreams..." I thought to him. "It keeps the nightmares away...The memories of what we've done..." my eyes slide closed. He runs his fingers through my soft black fur. "I'm sorry..." he whispered. "To be honest...I get scared too..." he muttered defeatedly. I looked up at him and mewed softly, rubbing my face against his hand slightly, purring quietly. He smiled weakly. "Ey, I'm alright kid." he said.

I nodded slightly, meowing quietly against his hand.

Stryker closed his eyes, petting me gently. I purred louder, closing my eyes.

Stryker yawned slightly and I smiled. "Go to sleep..." I thought to him. I hissed when he started to move. "You can stay here..." I thought, snuggling into him. "Yes ma'am." he said, smiling softly.

I stretched, expanding my claws before putting my head down and falling asleep. My sleep was peaceful and dreamless, as it was every night, but something was ultimately better about tonight. I just couldn't put my finger on it.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I awoke to sunlight slanted through the window, warming my fur. I opened my yellow catlike eyes. Stryker was still asleep, curled around my tiny black body. I wrinkled my nose as I yawned, before crawling up on his chest, licking his nose.

"gerroffme..." he grumbled.

I meowed, and kneaded his chest with my front paws, licking his nose again.

He opened his eyes and groaned. "what time is it?" he asked. I tilted my head and looked at the clock. "About noon..." I thought to him. "why?"

he sighed and closed his eyes again. "No reason." he said, yawning, running his hand down my back. I purred, closing my eyes.

"will you change back?" he said quietly. I nodded and hopped off of him, closing my eyes and morphing back to my human form, folding my legs up under me. "Morning." I said quietly. He looked me up and down, at my black tank top and black yoga pants. "what?" I asked slowly, shrinking slightly beneath his gaze. He chuckled. "Do your outfits change with your animal form?" he asked. I nodded. "If that cat would have been orange with a white chest, this would be an orange tank top and a white pair of pants. If I were to become a bird, it would be a tunic like shirt with tight pants...it depends on the personality of the animal, and the look of it too. Cats are very sneaky, loose creatures, so the clothes would reflect that." I said. He nodded. There was a slight awkward silence, and I coughed. Stryker ran his hands through his hair, got up, and walked out without a word. I frowned, and morphed into a small yellow bird, flying after him and perching on his shoulder. "Where are you going?" I thought to him. He sighed. "I was gonna go wake the others." he said. "Oh." I thought. "can I come?" I asked " or would you rather do it alone?" He shook his head. "You can come..." he said and I chirped happily, fluttering my wings. He chuckled weakly, walking down the hall and pounding on the doors of the other kids in the house. "GET UP YOU LAZY SCUMBAGS!" he shouted, before bounding down the steps. I giggled mentally. "and you wonder why no one likes you..."

Stryker rolled his eyes and reached for the orange juice. "Quiet. Or I'll turn you into a pie." he growled playfully. I chirped again, and flew off his shoulder, hovering in front of him. "Catch me if you can." I said, flying off. He laughed, chasing me out the back door and down the big hill, calling my name over and over. I let out a mental laugh. "Lost your way?" I thought. "Turn around." He turned slowly, and laughed, seeing me flying there. I chirped again, turning my head. He caught me in his hands and smiled. "Change back." he said quietly, petting my head with his thumb. I morphed back into my human form, wearing a long flowing yellow dress. He smiled at me. I blushed lightly beneath his gaze, slowly lowering myself to the warm grass, draping my arms around my knees. "stop looking at me like that." I said as he sat down beside me.

"sorry..." he muttered, glaring at his hands. I instantly felt horrible. "Hey..." I said, tilting his face up. His eyes refused to meet mine. "I'm sorry...you know how I am...i get all squirmy when people stare at me." I lied smoothly. He nodded. "right. Sorry." he said, looking at me with a weak smile. I poked his nose, then lazed back in the grass.

"Have you ever wondered what its like to be normal?" he asked.

I thought about it for a moment. Sure, I'd wondered. But I never really thought it'd be worth it..."Yeah..." I said softly. "But there are humans that want to fly..." I toyed with the hem of my dress. "And I know what that's like. I also know what dogs dream about, when they make those cute little movements...I know things humans would give their lives to know..." I bit my lip. "But they know what it's like to get a good nights sleep, or have a family, or...live. We really _don't_ know how to live Ry...it's kinda sad..." he looked at me with those knowing green eyes of his and I squirmed. "You need a haircut." I said softly, tugging on his slightly messy black hair gently. "way to change the subject Brae." he said with a soft chuckle, gently swatting my hands away.  
>I folded them in my lap, grinning slightly. "It's true though..."<p>

"alright, fine, so I need a haircut..." he said, forgetting about our previous topic. "so what?" he said.

I giggled. "So, you should get a haircut."

He shrugged, took off his shirt and started walking for the river at the base of the hill. I jumped up and followed him. "Where ya going?" I asked quickly.  
>"Narnia." he teased.<p>

I giggled slightly and rolled my eyes. "You tease about that...but for all we know, Narnia is real. I mean, unicorns certainly are."

"they are not!" he gasped.

I rolled my eyes, letting my body go limp, morphing into a sleek white unicorn. "Believe me now?" I teased. His eyes widened, and he reached out a hand and poked my horn. I snorted, and took a few steps away from him.

"wait wait wait, I'm sorry." he says quickly, stepping forward. I shake my big white head, letting out a small neigh, before changing back, now in a form fitting white dress. "That's new..." I said, looking at my dress. He chuckled. "It looks nice." he said, running a hand through his hair.

I blushed. "thanks." I whispered. He looked away with a small smile. "come on. Let's go swimming..." he said, taking my hand and tugging me towards the river. "no!" I squealed. He laughed, scooping me up and throwing me in the river. I surfaced and scowled at him. "You're dead." I said, dragging him in with my powers, taking a handful of mud and throwing at his face. "you butthead!" I said, rubbing the rest of the mud into his hair before darting back from him in the water. Stryker slowly lowered himself into the water, rinsing the mud from his hair, before surfacing, just his eyes above the water. "Don't you dare..." I hissed, before he launched himself at me and dunked me under the water.

Quickly, almost without thought, I changed into a small silver fish and darted away. Stryker growled playfully. "No fair!" he called. I popped up behind him in my human form, whispering in his ear, "Boo."

he turned around quickly. "Braelyn!" he frowned. I smiled innocently. "yes Stryker?" I grinned. "No fair! You cant use your powers in a fight. It doesn't count. Therefore I win by default." he said with a smug grin. I rolled my eyes. "Congrats!" I said sarcastically, climbing out of the river, shaking water off my body like a dog. He laughed at me and I rolled my eyes, changing into a large golden retriever and shaking the water at him, before turning my back and padding up the hill to lay in the warm sun. He rolled his eyes. "cheater!" he shouted after me, climbing out and sprawling next to me. I raised my head and looked at him curiously before putting my head back on my paws. He sighed. "You change to avoid it all don't you." he said softly. It wasn't really a question, more of a sudden realization. I tilted my head. "what do you mean?" I asked. "Whenever you want to avoid something..." he said quietly. "When stuff gets...awkward. You can just change. And no one will say anything about it..." I knew he was right. "Well..." I began, sighing mentally. "I like what I am. I like the freedom of being able to change from body to body..." I shrugged slightly, closing my eyes. "Brae it isn't always the best thing...just to hide..." I frowned, wanting to retaliate with something harsh, something to get him to leave me alone. "I know..." was all that came out.

Two days had passed since I last saw Stryker and I felt something was wrong somehow. I stretched, in the form of a sleek black panther before leaping off my bed and walking downstairs silently. Stryker was sitting outside in the pouring rain. "Great..." I thought, nudging the door open with my snout. I let out a growl to announce to him that I was coming and he turned around. I padded up and sat next to him, ears back because I did not like the rain. What cat did though? He looked at me with those knowing blue eyes of his.

"Here kitty kitty.." he teased, petting my wet fur. I stuck out my long tongue and turned my head. "Oh don't be so sensitive..." he said, chuckling. I leaned on him. "What are you doing out here?" I thought to him softly. "thinking..." he said slowly. I sneezed. "About?" He looked out over the horizon, his blue eyes sad. "About us..." he said softly. My heart seemed to skip a beat. "About the whole team, how much we've lost...How much we're losing..." his voice dropped, thick with sorrow. I nudged his face with my nose, closing my eyes. "It'll be alright Stryke..." I said softly. "I promise it."


	4. Chapter 3

Stryker had been sent on a mission, back to his own destroyed land, in search for survivors. I begged to go with him, but he had taken hold of my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. "We all have different ways with dealing with pain...I don't want you to be there when I hit mine." he had said, before placing a tender kiss on my forehead, and getting on the ship. I can still remember the wave of heat and the strange tingly feeling that rushed through my body, starting where his lips met my skin and radiating out until it reached the very tips of my extremities. Now, as I lay in my bed in my human form, I still can't shake the feeling. There HAS to be something wrong with me...Stryker...Stryker is like my brother. He always has been.

'_But maybe you want more...' a_ small voice hissed in my brain. "Shut up." I told it. "Stryker is my best friend..." I said, my voice wavering. "Nothing more." The voice seemed to laugh. '_Whatever you say..._' I put my head back against the wall. "Shutupshutupshutupshutup!" I hissed, closing my eyes. I felt the change ripple through my body and before I knew it I was curled up on my bed, a small ferret lying underneath my tangled sheet. Stryker was right...I change to hide...my ferret self squeaked and curled into a tighter ball as I begged for sleep to come. Little did I know that my usual defense would not be my usual dreamless sanctuary.

My dreams were NOT the usual static and white nonsense I normally dreamt. I saw replays...vivid replays of my memories...Of my times with none other than Stryker. I saw an eleven year old me cowering in a corner, unable to produce tears, as I watched a fourteen year old Stryker carry the bodies of my family out. The last to go was my father, my best friend. I rushed forward. "Papa!" I wailed, clinging to him. "Strykie you can't take my papa...you can't!" I begged. Stryker looked at me for a long moment before talking quietly to Carson, passing off my father's body and kneeling beside me. "Raelyn..." he said, taking my hands. "Your family is in a better place now..." he whispered. "Don't give me that load of crap!" I cried. "They're dead! They're all dead!" I said, collapsing into him, sobbing uncontrollably. "They're all dead..." I kept repeating through my sobs, clinging to Stryker's shirt. Stryker seemed stunned by this, and just sat there, letting me cry on him until I could cry no more, eventually falling asleep on him, clutching his shirt in my fist. He had carried me back to the ship and put me back to bed when the dream faded to another scene. I saw a 16 year old Stryker on his knees, crying out in pain.

"S-Stryker...A-Aaron said..." He whirled around. "I don't give a DAMN what Aaron has to say." he snarled. I flinched. "Stryker I know it's hard but we ca-" he took an angry swing at a vase on the table. "You don't know! You don't know what it's like!" he had shouted. I felt anger bubbling inside of me. "Yeah, I do! Two years ago you dragged my family's bodies out of my house like they were limp sacks of potatoes! I DO know what it's like! And you know what Stryker! I know you're hurting! You're my best friend! I KNOW you can barely stand it so you're lashing out on everyone! Well that's not how it works! Your sister died trying to protect you! Don't make her death pointless!" I shouted. I could see the hurt in his eyes, and as he sank to the ground and put his head in his hands it almost made me hurt. I walked over and knelt beside him. "Stryke...You can't just keep doing this..." I whispered, wrapping him in my arms. He had cried all night, and some the next morning...but through it all I was there. I saw him at his best, lying in the grass in his gear, smiling at me brightly with his big blue eyes staring straight into mine, and we had laughed, and lazed all day in the warm sun. I saw him at his worst, broken, beaten, crying, and angry at the world for everything and nothing. But I had seen it all...I forced myself awake, realizing sometime in the night I had been changed back, sweat sticking to my brow as I panted, sitting up from under the covers where I had been curled. I slowly stepped out of bed and tiptoed silently down the hall to Stryker's room. "Stryke..." I said, knocking quietly. I heard a groan. "Stryyyyyker?" I said sweetly, opening the door. "yeh?" he said, his hair in a ruffled mess around his face. I smiled softly and moved to sit on his bed. "How was your trip?" I said. His eyes went gray and sad immediately. "Not so well..." he choked out. I scooted up so I was leaning against the headboard beside him. "You ok?" I said, draping my arm around his shoulders. He lifted his hand and rested it on mine, where it lay on his shoulder. I turned my hand over and took his in mine. "I'm...I'll be alright..." he said, looking down. I sighed and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Stryker. My beautiful Stryker... "Hon..." I said softly. "I know you're hurting..." I said softly, squeezing him briefly, wrapping my other arm around him. He leaned on me, closing his eyes tightly, and I could tell he was trying not to cry. "Oh Stryke..." I said softly, stroking his hair tenderly. "It'll be alright..." I finished quietly. He nodded weakly, and I bit my lip. "A field of green, a sky of blue...a bubbling stream, for me and you..." I sang quietly, stroking his hair and rocking him gently. "M-my mother's lullaby..." he whispered, almost brokenly. I nodded, placing a gentle kiss on his head before continuing to sing gently, rocking him slowly the way a mother would an upset child.

"Please...stay here tonight..." he begged. I looked down at him, looking so helpless, so sad in my arms, and nodded. "I'd never leave you." I whispered, lying down beside him, still stroking his hair. He whimpered, and I felt a tear hit my arm. "oh shh shh..." I whispered into his hair, teasing my fingers through his hair. "It'll be alright..." I whispered, but he continued to cry. I wrapped my arms around him tighter, for there was nothing more I could do but hold him.

The morning came too soon, as it always did when you wanted it to stay away, and I felt hot rays of sun hit my face. My eyes cracked open, the green in them flecked with gold in the bright sunlight. I turned on my side and found myself face to face with Stryker, who had his eyes open and was watching me tenderly.

"How long have you been up?" I asked, my voice tired and scratchy. He shrugged. "About an hour..." he said. I yawned. "Why didn't you wake me?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. "Because I knew if you woke up you'd probably leave..." he said, looking down. I chuckled weakly and snuggled into him again. "Nah...You're comfy..." I said. "Besides, it's nice to finally be able to stay with you without me being some kind of animal." He laughed, and smiled at me. "Well, I agree. You move a lot in your sleep and your fur always wakes me up cuz it tickles..." he said, grinning. I smiled back, happy to see him happy. "Doing better?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded slowly and bit his lip. "You helped..." he said softly, shrugging. "It's still hard..." I nodded, playing with his fingers. "It will be for a while..." I muttered. "But it gets easier." I added as an afterthought.

He smiled softly at me. "Alright." he said. "I...I believe you."

My eyes found his and I felt my heart begin to pound. "U-uh-huh." I said. He tilted his head, his hair falling in front of his eyes in an almost irresistible way. "Is everything alright?" he asked sweetly. I nodded quickly, hiding my blush. "Everything's...perfect." I said sheepishly. He laughed quietly, and squeezed me briefly. "We should probably get up. Someone might suspect things." he said, waggling his eyebrows. I smacked him lightly on the arm and rolled my eyes. "You wish Romeo!" I said. He raised an eyebrow. "So what if I do?" he said curiously. "Y-you don't do you?" I asked with a slight shake in my voice. "Hell no...you're like my baby sister! That's like...imaginary incest... Uch." he teased, wrinkling his nose. "Right." I said, nodding. "Right it was stupid to ask. Sorry." I said, biting my lip, before sitting up against the headboard. He looked up at me. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked. I quickly changed into a cat and back again, producing that loose pair of black pants and the black tank top. "No...No you didn't..." I said, stretching falsely. "I think I'm gonna head back..." I said. "I need a shower..." I lied, scooting out of the bed. "You...Alright." Stryker said, nodding. He looked almost hurt. "Stryke?" I said, worriedly taking a step towards him. "No...no it's fine. Go...shower or whatever. I'm good." he plastered a smile onto his face and layer back down. "Alright..." I said weakly. "I'll be back...Promise." I said, smiling, before slipping out of his room and running to my room to shower. When I got into my room, an unfamiliar orange and white kitten was sitting on my bed. "Hi there..." I said softly, taking a step towards the tiny ball of fur. "Who are you?" I said, sitting down and scratching the tiny kitten under his chin. "How did you get in here...?" I asked, petting him. He meowed softly and rolled onto his back, paws in the air. I rubbed his stomach as I reached for the note that seemed to be lying under him. "'Brae, look who followed me home. Hope you like him...Stryker...'" I read the note aloud. "Oh...how sweet..." I said, smiling at the kitten. "You need a name don't you..." I said, absentmindedly running my fingers through his fur. He meowed softly, looking up at me with bright green eyes. I smiled at him. "Hmm..." I said, leaning back against the wall. Stryker shifted in his bed and I heard the headboard hit the wall. "You still awake Stryker?" I asked. He groaned softly. "Whatisit..." I chuckled. "Sleep grumpy. We can talk tomorrow." I said, curling under my covers with the cat. I closed my eyes and morphed into a tiger, giving a large yawn and stretching out and putting my large head on my paws. The orange kitten came forward and curled up beside my chest, purring. I sighed and closed my eyes, falling into a soft dreamless sleep.

Morning came in the blink of an eye, and I awoke, perched upside down on my lamp, in the form of a small fruit bat. Stryker was sitting at the end of my bed, flipping through a journal of mine. I hissed and flew at him, morphing midway and snatching it from him. "Hey!" I cried, clutching the small leather bound book to my chest. "What are you doing!" Stryker held up his hands in defense. "Chill Rae. I was just waiting for you to get up. They're just drawings..." I let out my breath and flipped through the journal. It was my sketchpad. Thank. God. He tilted his head. "They're very good Rae." he said, watching me cautiously. I tossed the small journal into the drawer to my right and flopped back on the bed. "How'd I end up on the lamp...?"

Stryker laughed, and I blushed, from my painted orange toenails to the roots of my dark brown hair. His hair was mussed, falling into his eyes, and he had no shirt on. I felt my chest swell with happiness. "Stryker…." I began. His eyes found mine and I melted. "I…." then the world went dark.


End file.
